Sharp freezing structure



Oct. 11, 1932. L. G. COPEMAN I SHARP FREEZING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 50, 1929 IN VENTOR. [1am 460F074 BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 11, 1932 umrao sures VPATENT OFFICE LLOYD G. COPEIAN, 0F FLINT, HICHZlIGAN Assrcnoa r0 corms moaarolima comm, or rnm'r, mcmcm, a conronarron or moment smr rannzma srn'uc'runn Application fled September 30, 1929. Serial No. 396,190.

This invenion relates to sharp freezing structure for automatic refrigerating systems, and has to do particularly with a novel means or structure for materially preventing the frosting up of a sharp freezing. unit.

The problem of defrosting has become one of the most important problemsin the echanical refri eration art, as the frosting and formingo ice on the walls of the evaporator or sharp freezing unit not only materially reduces the eficienoy of the system but also makes it diflicult at times to remove the ice cube tra It has even been proposed to form the s arp freezing chamber as a completely isolated chamber so as not to be affected by the opening of the door of the food chamber.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a front wall or a front wall structure whereby to normally maintain the she freezing chambers substantially air tight and thus materially reduce the formation of frost and ice on the interior of the sharp freezing chambers. l

A further object of the present invention resides in rubber or similar material adapted to be readily secured to the front wall of the sharp freezing unit and so formed as to ermit readily removal of the ice cube trays ut to normally exclude substantially all air from the sharp freezing compartments, the apron itself belng readi y whereby to permit shaking ofi of any ice which might be formed thereon.

Inthe rawing:

Fig. 1 is a pers ective view of the preferred embodiment of t 0 present invention and illustrating the rubber apron secured to the front of the sharp freezing unit.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary lustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a fra lustrating a furt vention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan wiew of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

entary sectional iiiew iler embodiment of the inproviding an apron formed ofremovable from the unit sectional view il- This application is a continuation in part of my Patent No. 1,777 ,483 of October 7, 1930.

The present invention may be readily adapted to substantially any s arp freezing unit regardless of any peculiarities of structitre or design. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the sharp freezing unit is shown as at-1, but it will be understood that any shape of sharp freezing unit may enter in the embodiment of the invention.

The sharp freezing unit may be Pitt ed of stone, as shown at 2 In Fig. 2, or may be the regular brine type'unit or unit of the flooded t pe. Regardless of the type, the sharp reezing unit will of necessity, have certain walls, or coils defining walls, together with suitable apertures 3 for receiving the ice cube trays 4. 2

While the frosting pf the side -u; sharp freezing unit 1 is detrimental the more serious frosting is that which occurs within and around the front of the shar freezing chambers. To prevent this I prefgrabl enclose. the entire front of the unit wi apronlwhichis generally des' an ated 5.

This apron 5 ispreferab formed of a high grade ofthin Para rub er and is provided around its edge with an tendin the ru the edge of the unit may be formed with a suitable head, as shown to more securely hold the sition.

Suitable doors 7 are cut from the apron 'itself, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to permit removal of the ,ice cube tra s 4. These doors may be provided with suitable reinforcing hinges 8, or if desired, the doors the sharp freezing chambers may be con- 'structed as at 9 so as to rovide a flap entirely around the opening in the apron.-

Regardless of the form. of the door, it will be obvious that the front of the sharp freezing unit will be substantially sealed so that frequent opening and closing .ofthe f chamber door will have little efi'ect'on the interior of the shar bfreezing chambers. In the course of time rubber apron in poin Fig. 2, whereby est and a thin layer '0 1 ice may form upon the rubber apron i w i but this can be easily removed by simply removing the rubber apron and shaking or distorting the same, whereby the ice will readily drop from the apron which can then be quickly replaced. The ice cube tray may be readily removed at any time merely by openin the doors formed in the apron and if the umt should be run for an exceptionally long time without defrosting or should the tra s become stuck to the side walls, it will obvious that the doors will permit of inserting suitablev tools for loosening the trays.

A slightly modified form of the invention is shown embodied in Fig. 3, wherein the brine tank. 1 is provided with a standard ornamental front member orcover 10. Such a cover is usually found in most commercial refrigeratin units and may be formed integrally wit or positioned directly against the evaporator or brine tank or may be spaced slightly in front thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. In this modification, the ice tray is preferably completelgepositioned within the sharp freezin cham r and the openin in the front mem er 10 is preferably close by a suitable rubber closure member 11, which in turn may be suitably hinged as at 12. This closure member 11 is preferably.

slightly larger than the opening in the front piece 10 and may be held closed by means of a suitable sprin member 13. Regardless of the condition 0% the unit, the rub er closure member 11 may always be readily distorted or opened to permit access to the sharp freezing chamber. Such closure member 11 may, of course, be formed of other materials, or even of metal, but I prefer'to use rubber or its equivalent because of the fact that ice will not readily adhere to rubber.

A further modified embodiment is illustrated in Fi s. 4 and .5 wherein the ice cube tray 14 preerably extends past the front cover 10. Ehe front end of this ice tray is preferably securedto a suitable cover plate 15 whichislarge enough to cover the openin 16 formed in the member 10. The ice cu e tray 14 may be formed of rubber, in which case the cover plate 15 is preferably formed integrally therewith, or in case the ice cube tray is formed of metal, the cover plate 15 is preferably formed of rubber and suitably secured thereto. I a

In this construction, it will be obvious that the cover plate 15 will always be readily removable or broken awa from the member 10 even if frost or ice ould form thereon, and in case the tray 14 should become stuck to the interior of the sharp freezing chamber, it will be obvious that the edges of the rubber cover plate 15 may be turned up and a suitable instrument inserted to assist in loosening the tray. 7

It will thus be seen that in each of the embodiments illustrated, the sharp)e freezing chambers of the cooling unit will substantially isolated from the surroundin atmosphere within the cooling unit or re rigerating box and that the cover late or door member, as the case may be, Wlll always be readily removable, even if it should be coated with frost or ice, due to the fact that it is formed of rubber.

It will be understood that the front members 10 in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 may also be formed of rubber corresponding to the apron 5 in Fig.1. In such case it will be obvious that the plate 15 may be formed of metal, the point being that one of said surfaces may be formed of metal and the other of material to which ice does not readily adhere.

What I claim is:

1. A sharp freezing unit, for freezin ice cubes and the like, comprising a main ody member throu h which the transfer of heat is effected an one or more sharp freezing chambers for receiving the ob ect to be cooled, and sealing means directly supported by said main body member for normally substantially sealing the sharp freezing chamber or chambers, comprising a closure member independent of said object to be cooled for closing the opening of the sharp freezing chamber, said closure member being formed of rubber.

2. A sharp freezing unit comprising a main body havin a sharp freezing chamber, a front member or the unit, an opening in said front member registering with said sharp freezing chamber, and a closure plate, I for said opening, contacting with and carried by said front member to seal-the sharp freezmg chamber, one of said contacting surfaces bem formed of a non-metallic material to whic ice does not readily adhere.

' 3 A sharp freezing unit comprising a main body having one or more sharp freezing chambers and a rubber cover member secured to the front of said unit and tending to normally seal the-same from the surrounding atmosphere.

4, A sharp freezing unit comprising a mam body having one or more sharp freezing chambers and a rubber cover member secured to the front of said unit and tending to normally seal the chambers from the surrounding atmosphere, said cover member be ing provided with one or more door memwhereby to quickly remove any ice formed thereon.

6. A sharp freezing. unit comprising a main body member provided with one or I 5 more openings and a door member hin ed to the front of said unit and normally 0 osing the opening therein, said door member contacting with the front of said unit and one of said contacting surfaces being formed of m a non-metallic material to which ice does not readily adhere.

7. A sharp freezing unit comprising a main body member provided with one or more openings and a door member hin ed to the frontof said unit, and normall' c osing the opening therein, said door mem r being formed of rubber whereby to evenly contact with the front of said unit to seal the same but to be readily removed therefrom.

m 8. A sharp freezing unit, comprising a sharp freezing chamber formed therein, and a closure member contacting with the front of said unit for normall sealing said sharp freezing chamber, one o the contacting surfaces being formed of rubber.

9. A sharp freezing unit comprising a main body having a sharp freezing chamber, a rubber cover member positioned at the front of said unit, an opening in said cover member registering with said sharp freezing chamber, and a closure member for said opening and contacting with said cover member to seal the sharp freezing chamber.

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

"" LLOYD G. CO EMAN. 

